There Will Always Be a Good Life
The matter of Feng Yu Heng preparing to set out for her fief was not much of a secret around the capital. Word of this had already been spread from Hundred Herb Hall. Recently in the capital, even the commoners would spend their idle time lamenting a bit. It was unfortunate that such a good imperial daughter would actually be chased out of the capital. They really could not understand what exactly those people were thinking.
In regards to Xiang Rong’s decision, An shi was not at all surprised, but she still shook her head, saying to Xiang Rong: “I do not agree to this.”
Xiang Rong was puzzled, “Why?”
Ans hi told her: “You are my daughter. Although I am just a concubine, I still do not hope for my daughter to marry a large family to help improve relations for the family. I just want you to live a peaceful and quiet life. In the future, if you can find an obedient husband and live peacefully, that will be good. The path that your second sister will be walking will definitely not be normal. Xiang Rong, that is not something that we can keep up with.”
“Why must you think like this?” Xiang Rong furrowed her brow and asked An shi: “Why is it that we can’t keep up if second sister’s path is not normal? Even if she runs a bit faster, it’s fine. Right now, I just want to go with her and help her with what she does. Mother, I don’t want to seek connections with large families. I just want to be like second sister and live freely.”
An shi shook her head, “Freely? You think that she’s very free? There are all kinds of plots swirling about her, and every step that she takes is filled with uncertainty. She looks to be unrestrained, but you need to know just how much effort that requires. How much is required for her to make everything look so easy on the surface? Xiang Rong, you are my daughter. Mother would not cause you any harm.”
Xiang Rong looked at An shi and thought for a while then suddenly smiled, saying: “Mother, could it be that you’re reluctant to part with me? How about you come with me?! Second sister would not discard us.” The little girl’s eyes were shining, as she repeatedly shook An shi’s hand side to side, “I asked about it. Second sister’s fief is to the Southeast, and the climate there is better than in the capital. At this time, it has already begun to warm up. By the time we get there, we would be able to see the green leaves growing. Mother, let’s go together!”
She was filled with hope, as she was wanting to have An shi agree to leave together. This capital had given her far too many bad memories. Just that Feng manor alone had become a cage that she could not escape. Xiang Rong felt that if she continued to live here, she would eventually go crazy.
Seeing her daughter’s expectant gaze, An shi was also moved for a moment; however, she quickly calmed back down and said with a wry smile: “Where can I go? I am Feng Jin Yuan’s concubine, and my life contract is in the hands of the Feng family. I’m even lower than a servant.”
Da Shun’s treatment of concubines was extremely harsh. The one that set the law back then must have greatly disdained this existence, thus they decided that concubines must also have something like a life contract. When becoming a concubine, it was the same as handing over that life contract to the man’s family. Whether they lived or died, it was all decided by them. There did not exist any divorce. Once they lost favor, aside from waiting for death, they did not have any other choices.
Xiang Rong was young in the past and did not think of such things, but it was not that she had never heard about it. Now that she heard An shi bring it up, she was a bit troubled. After thinking a bit, she just stomped her foot and said: “I’ll go and find His Highness the fourth prince. It’s nothing more than a contract. He will have some ideas.”
As she spoke, she began to run out; however, she was pulled back by An shi: “No matter who you look for, it won’t have any use.” She patted her darling daughter’s hair and helplessly said: “Feng Jin Yuan has already run off. He has definitely taken something like the life contract with him. Even if he didn’t bring it, who knows where it was hidden? What would be the point of looking for His Highness the fourth prince?” She had Xiang Rong sit down before continuing to say: “Speaking of His Highness the fourth prince, I have something that I wish to ask you.”
Xiang Rong did not know what it was and blinked, saying: “Mother, please go ahead.”
An shi waved her hand and had the servant inside dismissed. Seeing the door closed, she finally spoke up: “How His Highness the fourth prince treats you is something that mother has seen over the years; however, I didn’t know what you thought and did not dare to ask. Speaking truthfully, I am going to repeat myself. I do not hope for you to seek connections with a large family. I hope even more that you do not have any connection with someone of the imperial family. Perhaps marrying into that sort of house looks quite glorious and enviable, but the heartache that comes later is something that only you will know. You will not have any place to speak about it and can only keep it internalized. Child, if you listen to mother’s words, don’t worry. You are only 13 years of age. You still have plenty of time. We can slowly make our choice. There will be a chance to meet someone suitable.”
An shi’s words left Xiang Rong in a daze, as she casually asked: “What sort of thoughts do I have for His Highness the fourth prince?” Although she said this, her heart was tugged very slightly. It was as though there was something that suddenly grasped her heart. Xiang Rong frowned. Her attitude on this matter was no longer as calm as before, but even if this was the case, she maintained her reasoning, telling An shi: “His Highness the fourth prince and I have nothing more than a master-disciple relationship. It was His Majesty that had me teach him embroidery. That is all. Mother, please do not have such wild thoughts.”
“Were my thoughts wild?” An shi helplessly shook her head, “Then just treat it as such, but without His Highness the fourth prince, there is still His Highness the seventh prince. In regards to that person, what do you have to say?”
Xiang Rong’s heart was conflicted. She had clearly just wanted to go with her second sister to the fief, so how did it end up being about His Highness the seventh prince? Mother too, she clearly knew that this person was a hurdle that her heart could not get over. She had finally managed to forcefully stop herself from thinking about him; however, she was no longer able to avoid it.
She did not know what to say, but she also knew that she could not remain silent. Thinking a bit, she shook her head and could only say: “That person, I can’t think of.” Her eyes immediately became red. She raised her head to keep her tears from falling. When they had finally dried, she put on a smiling face, “Mother, let’s speak a bit more about going to second sister’s fief! How about you treat it as doting on me and letting me go out? I will just go and take a look. I will not stay for long… before coming back.”
The last few words were clearly said with some unreconciled feelings, but Xiang Rong was a filial child. If An shi requested that she return after taking a look, she would definitely return. But An shi shook her head with a smile, telling her: “Go ahead! As a mother, how could I not understand my own child? I already knew that I could not keep you, but I hoped that you would stay at my side to keep my company. But I also knew that you would not be happy with that. I have just been conflicted like that! The previous Feng family was like a cage. Now that the Feng family no longer exists, you should not continue to live under the shadow of that scattered family. I also hope for you to be able to go out, escape from this place and live your own life. Xiang Rong, you just need to remember that no matter where you go, you cannot forget who you are. You must not become confused by the situation. Do you understand what mother is saying?”
Xiang Rong’s tears could no longer be held back, as she hugged An shi and began to cry. While crying, she said: “Mother, I am unreconciled with living this way. I want to follow second sister, and you know this. Ever since I was small, I have wanted to follow behind her. No matter where she went, as long as I could see her, I felt full of hope. I know that the work she is doing is difficult. That’s why I want to be like her and want to do those righteous and meaningful things with her. When the day comes that I grow up and have the ability, I will be able to protect you. Mother, did you know? I have always been afraid that Feng Jin Yuan would come back and would take us back into the Feng residence, locking us up inside that small courtyard. We would need to pay attention to his feelings and Fen Dai’s feelings to survive. Mother, I don’t want to live that sort of life. You must wait for me. There will come a day when I will come back to your side. When that time comes, I will let you see. Your Xiang Rong will be able to block the rain and wind for you.”
She spoke resolutely through her tears, and An shi revealed an affectionate smile upon seeing the young child’s resolute expression.
Xiang Rong bid farewell to An shi like this and brought her two bags. Bringing along her maidservant, Shan Cha, they went to the imperial daughter’s manor. When the gate was opened, Feng Yu Heng knew that she would be coming, as she dragged her into the manor. She then told her: “We will be leaving the capital on the 14th. There is only one day left. You came just on time. Help elder sister get ready.”
Xiang Rong was dumbfounded, but Feng Yu Heng said: “Don’t think about it too much. Since you’ve made up your mind, just come along with me. I will let you live a good life.”
Only after being dragged into a courtyard was Xiang Rong able to speak, asking Feng Yu Heng: “How did second sister know what I was planning?”
Feng Yu Heng smiled and said: “I’m not stupid. Just looking at you, I can already guess.” These words caused the young girl to smile brightly. She knew that her second sister would not discard her. Ever since she was young, she was the true safe haven.
They would be leaving the capital on the 14th of the first month. At this moment in the Yao manor, they were preparing some things for Feng Yu Heng’s departure with Xu shi leading the way. Just in terms of clothing, three chests were prepared, and the sight caused Yao Xian to smirk. He thought to himself, where was there a need for so much clothing? This was a little too exaggerated.
But in the end, women were a bit more thorough in their thoughts. Xu shi knew that Feng Yu Heng could not return in the short term. These three chests had clothes for all four seasons and included socks and shoes. The preparations were very thorough.
Qin shi went to look around the storage and placed the things that she thought Feng Yu Heng might be able to use over there inside a chest. Things like decorations, teapots, teacups, and anything that looked good would be placed inside. Nearly half of the storage was placed inside. In the end, a total of 11 large chests were prepared. This sight gave her son, Yao Xuan, a fright. After a great deal of advising, Qin shi was finally convinced to reduce the amount. But even in this case, there were still five chests that she felt needed to be brought along.
Miao shi dove into the kitchen to make pastries and did not come out for a long time. When Xu shi went into the kitchen to take a look, she found that Miao shi had nearly made enough pastries to open up a pastry shop. But she was also happy, telling Miao shi: “This is right. More should be made. They will need to spend half a month on the road. Our A-Heng must not suffer any hardships.”
Yao Jing Jun also came over to take a look and smirked, “They’ll end up spoiling, right?”
“What do you understand?” Xu shi pushed him out, “It’s the middle of Winter. How could it spoil that easily? Also, it can be thrown out if it spoils. If not enough is made, what can be done? You don’t understand women’s matters, so don’t get involved.”
The men of the Yao family expressed that they were powerless against this. They just looked at the chests that had been prepared and silently calculated. How many carriages would their niece need to pack up all of these things?
The Yao family’s side was extremely lively. At this time, Feng Yu Heng was dragging Xiang Rong around the streets to buy various things that needed to be bought. Just as they were about to visit a snack shop, they happened to run into the eighth prince, Xuan Tian Mo, who was riding around on horseback…